1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a digital camera and an image processing method in the digital camera, and more particularly to a digital camera and an image processing method in the digital camera for creating special effect images by performing image-processing that applies special effects to captured images.
2. Description of Related Art
In conventional image-processing, image data representing a subject image (an unaltered image) or unaltered image data obtained by a digital camera is captured into a computer, which image-processes the unaltered image data, thereby creating a special effect image data representing a special effect image by applying the special effects to the unaltered image. For example, the special effects such as deformation and soft-focus are applied to the unaltered image with the use of a variety of filters, or the unaltered image is combined with a template image, which is prepared in advance to be used as a background image. In this case, however, there is the necessity for the computer that is capable of applying the special effects to the unaltered image, and it is difficult for a user who is inexperienced in operating the computer to create the special effect image.
Recently, a digital camera has been proposed that has a function of combining the unaltered image and the template image prepared in advance. In this case, however, it is necessary to select the template image as the background image before composing the special effect image by combining the unaltered image and the template image.
Furthermore, in the above-mentioned cases, it is impossible to obtain an unexpected interesting image, since the special effects are applied to the unaltered image in accordance with the operation of the user.
The present invention has been developed in view of the above-described circumstances, and has as its object the provision of a digital camera and an image processing method in the digital camera, which make it possible to easily obtain interesting and unexpected images.
To achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention is directed to a digital camera comprising: an imaging system for imaging a subject and converting a subject image into unaltered image data representing an unaltered image of the subject; a special effect selector provided with a random number generator generating a random number, the special effect selector selecting one special effect from a plurality of special effects in accordance with the random number; and a special effect image processor for image-processing the unaltered image data under the special effect selected by the special effect selector to thereby obtain special effect image data representing a special effect image.
To achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention is directed to an image processing method in a digital camera, comprising the steps of: imaging a subject and converting a subject image into unaltered image data representing an unaltered image of the subject upon receiving a command to image-capture; generating a random number by a random number generator; selecting one special effect from a plurality of special effects in accordance with the random number; and image-processing the unaltered image data under the selected special effect to thereby obtain special effect image data representing a special effect image.
According to the present invention, the randomly-selected special effect is applied to the unaltered image representing the subject image, and thus, it is easy to obtain the unexpected special effect image.
The unaltered image and/or the special effect image are shown on an image display. It is also possible to provide a display changeover switch such that one of the unaltered image, the special effect image and a mixed image created by mixing the unaltered image with the special effect image, can be selectively shown on the image display.
The special effect image data may be recorded into a recording medium. It is also possible to record the unaltered image data and special effect data representing the special effect applied to the unaltered image into a recording medium, when an image-capturing switch is operated or when a trigger signal is inputted from external equipment. In this case, the special effect image processor performs the image processing in accordance with the unaltered image data and the special effect data read from the recording medium.
When the special effect is selected randomly; an image-capturing switch is operated or a trigger signal is inputted from external equipment, the unaltered image data is read from the recording medium for the playback or printing.
According to the present invention, the special effect image data is recorded into the recording medium when a recording switch is turned on. When a preset time has elapsed without the recording switch being turned on, the special effect is selected randomly again. Thus, if the recording switch is not turned on, the special effect images changes randomly. Then, the user can record only a favorite special effect image by turning on the recording switch when the favorite special effect image is created and displayed.
Likewise, according to the present invention, when a printing switch is turned on, the special effect image data is sent to an external printer so as to print the special effect image on the external printer. When a preset time has elapsed without the printing switch being turned on, the special effect is selected randomly again. Thus, if the printing switch is not turned on, the special effect images changes randomly. Then, the user can print only a favorite special effect image on the external printer by turning on the printing switch when the favorite special effect image is created and displayed.
Moreover, the present invention is directed to an image processing method in a digital camera, comprising the steps of: (a) imaging a subject and converting a subject image into unaltered image data representing an unaltered image in a frame; (b) recording the unaltered image data in the frame into a recording medium; (c) repeating the steps (a)-(b) a preset number of times to thereby record the unaltered image data in the preset number of the frames; (d) reading the recorded unaltered image data in one of the preset number of the frames from the recording medium recorded in the step (c); (e) generating a random number by a random number generator; (f) selecting one special effect from a plurality of special effects in accordance with the random number; (g) image-processing the unaltered image data read in the step (d) under the special effect selected in the step (f) to thereby obtain special effect image data representing a special effect image; (h) recording the special effect image data obtained in the step (g) into the recording medium; and (i) repeating the steps (d)-(h) for the recorded unaltered image data in the preset number of the frames.
According to the present invention, the image data of the unaltered images in a plurality of frames is recorded once into the recording medium in continuous image-capturing. After the continuous image-capturing, the special effect is selected for each frame, the image processing is performed in accordance with the selected special effect, and the special effect image data is recorded into the recording medium for the unaltered images in the plurality of frames. Thus, the special effect can be applied to each unaltered image, even if the time required for the image processing of applying the special effect to the unaltered image, and the time required for recording the special effect image data are longer than the interval of the continuous image-capturing.
Furthermore, the present invention is directed to an image processing method in a digital camera, comprising the steps of: (a) imaging a subject and converting a subject image into unaltered image data representing an unaltered image in a frame; (b) generating a random number by a random number generator; (c) selecting one special effect from a plurality of special effects in accordance with the random number; (d) recording a combination of the unaltered image data in the frame and special effect data representing the special effect selected in the step (c) into a recording medium; (e) repeating the steps (a)-(d) a preset number of times to thereby record the preset number of the combinations of the unaltered image data and the special effect data; (f) reading one of the combinations of the unaltered image data and the special effect data recorded in the step (e); (g) image-processing the unaltered image data read in the step (f) under the special effect represented by the special effect data read in the step (f) to thereby obtain special effect image data representing a special effect image; (h) recording the special effect image data obtained in the step (g) into the recording medium; and (i) repeating the steps (f)-(h) for the preset number of the combinations of the unaltered image data and the special effect data.
Thus, the special effect data as well as the unaltered image data in a plurality of frames is recorded once into the recording medium in the continuous image-capturing. After the continuous image-capturing, the image processing is performed in accordance with the selected special effect, and the special effect image data is recorded into the recording medium for the unaltered images in the plurality of frames.